Israel, India’s closest ally, has proposed the 6th-generation air-to-air missile to India. Israeli defense firm Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has proposed its newest Sky Sting 6th Generation Long-Range Air-to-Air Missile to the Indian Air Force.
According to the media reports, Rafael claims its missile will be able to be integrated with the major Indian fighter jets, including the Su-30MKI.
As per a report by The Week, the Sky Sting missile, powered by a three-pulse rocket motor and has a maximum range of 250 kilometres. By comparison, China’s export version, the PL-15E, has a maximum range of only 145 kilometres. However, the domestic version of the Chinese missile is reportedly in a range of 200 to 300 kilometres. According to the Indian Defence Research Wing(IDRW), the increased range is the result of a combination of kinematic energy and aerodynamic lift, giving a longer flight path and the ability to outrange an enemy and strike before they can react.
What is Sky Sting? Lethal air-to-air missile which this country is offering India, much powerful than Chinese PL-15 of Pakistan, country is…
The missile also has a bi-directional data link, allowing the missile to keep getting updates about the target’s location throughout the flight. The missile has a smart active radar seeker, which is highly resistant to electronic jamming. Additionally, following sixth-generation design principles, it is expected to include a passive radar homing mode. This means it can track and lock onto the source of jamming itself, turning the enemy’s own electronic warfare tactics against them. The advanced ECCM (Electronic Counter-Countermeasures) capabilities make it highly effective even in heavily contested environments.
The report indicates that the integration of the Israeli Sky Sting missile into aircraft such as the Su-30MKI, Mirage-2000, and TEDBF (Twin Engine Deck-Based Fighter) will dramatically enhance India’s air superiority. The missile’s extended range allows India to destroy enemy fighters before they engage in close combat in an air-to-air engagement. Additionally, it enables India with weapons like the Sky Sting to respond to potential threats on the two fronts (China and Pakistan) even if the threats are stealth fighter jets.